The most commonly referred to disability programs are Social Security Disability Insurance benefits ("SSDI") and Supplemental Security Income ("SSI"). Generally, SSDI requires the disability applicant to have worked and paid Social Security taxes 5 out of the last 10 years. SSI requires the disability applicant to have limited assets of $2,000 or less or $3,000 or less if the applicant is married. The medical disability standard is the same for both programs. The monthly payment for an individual receiving SSDI depends on how much the person paid in Social Security taxes while they worked. Social Security''s exact formula can be found here http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/cola/piaformula.html. According to the Social Security Administration, the average monthly SSDI payment is $1,129.51 as of May 2013. A disabled person that is only eligible for SSI will receive $710 a month in 2013. The monthly amount under both DIB and SSI are subject to a Cost of Living Adjustment every year that Social Security sets.

 

Other disability programs include Disabled Adult Child benefits, and Disabled Widow or Widower's benefits. For more information regarding Disabled Adult Child benefits, see this FAQ . For more information about Widow/Widower's benefits, click here .

Sean D. Cuddigan
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SSA and VA Disability Attorney in Omaha, Nebraska